The Learner

By Muhsin Ibrahim muhsin2008@gmail.com University of Cologne The article was written for, and published by, the BBC Hausa service. Here is a link to a slightly different Hausa version published on their webpage:  Fina-finan Kannywood 10 da suka shahara a 2019. The Hausa film industry alias Kannywood is still alive and, well, kicking. Perhaps known to many people, the industry’s survival is against many odds. Now and again, Kannywood is caught up in scandals. Prominent among them this year include the way politics divided it and brought sharp disunity among its members. Then, two leading actresses fought and the clip of the fight went viral; the arrest of a celebrated director, the sartorial choice of two more actresses invited them condemnations, insults and curses, among other incidents.   Copyright: @officialkannywood Admittedly, I did not watch some films that might be among the top 10 of 2019. I don’t live in Nigeria to go to the only functi...

Director :         Sunusi Oscar 442 Producer :       Naziru Dan Hajiya Year :               2019 Company :      A & Y Kanemi Film Production Cast :               Zainab Indomie, Ali Nuhu, Adam A. Zango, Nuhu Abdullahi, Fati Washa, Abdul M. Sharif, Salsi S. Fulani, others. The movie Yanayi is a multi-starrer, featuring the trio: Ali Nuhu, Adam Zango and Zainab Indomie who delivered  Gari Yai Zafi , a massive blockbuster of the last decade, alongside other stars such as Fati Washa, Nuhu Abdullahi, Maryam Isah, Abdul M. Shareef, Lilisco, Salisu S. Fulani and more. Unlike in Gari Yai Zafi , where they are all in leading roles, Ali Nuhu and Adam Zango's role in Yanayi is very negligible. The remaining actors also are all supporting the leading character Zainab Indomie....

Director :         Hafizu Bello Producer :       Hamisu Lamido Iyantama Story:              Hamisu Lamido Iyantama Language :       Hausa Year :               2018 Company :      Iyan-Tama Multimedia Limited Cast:             Sadiq Sani Sadiq, Hamisu Lamido Iyantama, Wasila Ibrahim, Sadiya Lawan, Halima Atete, others. An old saw has it that old is gold. I said the same when writing about Iyantama Multimedia before for it’s one of the few among the oldest, reputable film production companies that are still functioning in Kano. Thus, thousands of Kannywood’s au courant audiences will expect nothing less than a high-quality product from them. But the industry struggles to stay afloat, thanks...

The death of Robert Mugabe marks the end of an era in the history of Africa. He’s, perhaps, the last of his kind on this wealthy but poorly governed continent. Most of his contemporaries were long gone and, some, even forgotten. However, Mugabe will be remembered forever. His name and that of his country, Zimbabwe, are somewhat synonymous.    Robert Mugabe (1924-2019) I am convinced that the deceased meant well for his country and Africa at large. Doubtless, he overstayed his welcome and, of course, he was brutal in his handling of opposition and the white farmers. All could be forgiven, though. Many African leaders of his generation were no less harsh and autocratic. His, nonetheless, stood out because he doggedly fought the West and their imperialistic ideologies and policies. He also lasted in power way longer than the lots. Mugabe, Julius Nyerere (Tanzania), Jomo Kenyatta (Kenya), Kwame Nkrumah (Ghana), Nelson Mandela (South Africa), among other post-indepen...

Production Company: Maishadda Global Resources Nig. Ltd Producer: Abubakar Bashir Maishadda Director: Ali Nuhu Release: 2019 Cast: Ali Nuhu, Abba El-Mustapha, Baballe Hayatu, Hassana Muhammad, Hadiza Gabon, Hajara Usman , etc. The eponymous movie Hauwa Kulu is a masterpiece, one of the best films to come out of the Hausa film industry, aka Kannywood. It is a tragic, melodramatic social drama that addresses the issue of rape, which is a boiling issue in our society today. It is also a film that has attracted critical attention, especially from ‘feminists’, NGOs, other critics for its dramatic exposé of the complex politics involved in rape cases and its possible impact on the Nigerian cinema. The extraordinary plot, which is the driving force of this movie, narrates the story of a beautiful village girl, Hauwa Kulu (Hassana Muhammad), whose blind father (Abba El-Mustapha) wanted her to be well educated.   He later decided to marry her off to avoid the p...

Production: Kumo Productions. Producer: Yakubu M. Kumo Director: Ali Gumzak Release Year: 2019 Cast: Sadiƙ Sani Sadiƙ, Hafsat Idrees, Ali Nuhu, Shehu Hassan Kano, Alhassan Ƙwalle and others. As several northern Nigerian societies cry of pressing marital problems, an Ali Gumzak-directed film, Namijin Kishi arrives with an exaggerated elucidation of such a marriage. It exposes one of the countless causes of marital disputes. Gumzak's signature is all over it: direct and straight to the point rendition, keeping watchers focused and on the same page. Quite usual of this director, the film’s plot was uninterrupted by the often mundane Indian filmic romance, singing and dancing routine found in many Kannywood movies. Additionally, the background soundtrack accentuates the viscosity of the movie scenes. Individually, the character-performance in Namijin Kishi is excellent, more especially by the leading actor, Sadiƙ Sani Sadiƙ, who effortlessly delivered his assignm...

Production :    Maishadda Investment Ltd. Producer:        Abubakar Bashir Maishadda Director :         Ali Nuhu Year:               2019 Cast :         Umar M. Shareef, Hassana Muhammad, Maryam Yahaya, Ali Nuhu, Yakubu Muhammad, Jamila Nagudu and others. Like most, nay all, films titled after a central character, HAFEEZ revolves around the life of a spoilt adult (acted by Umar M. Shareef). Also, the film has the mark of its “Wizkid” director, Ali Nuhu, all over, for it is apparently modelled after a boy-meets-girl, rich-boy vs poor-girl Bollywood paradigms. Moreover, it bears many more Indian filmic signatures such as five or six spectacular song and dance routines, among others. Perhaps the recent warning  by the MOPPAN President, Kabiru Maikaba, on banning romance film in Kannywood came out ...